True colours
Unacceptable in the UK:
A Dutch MP who called the Koran a "fascist book" has been sent back to the Netherlands after attempting to defy a ban on entering the UK. Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders had been invited to show his controversial film - which links the Islamic holy book to terrorism ...
Mr Brown's spokesman said the prime minister "fully supports the decision" taken by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith...
Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the BBC's Hardtalk: "The home secretary made a decision on an individual case as she is required to do." He added that the film contained "extreme anti-Muslim hate and we have very clear laws in this country".
Mr Miliband also said: "We have profound commitment to freedom of speech but there is no freedom to cry 'fire' in a crowded theatre and there is no freedom to stir up hate, religious and racial hatred, according to the laws of the land..."
Cabinet Office minister Liam Byrne said, on BBC One's Question Time: "This guy wasn't coming here to exercise his right of free speech. This guy was trying to come here in order to sow division between us in this country. "Everything I've heard about this guy tells me he's a bigot and the right place for him is to stay at home..."
Acceptable in the UK:
Comments
F**k Islam!
Posted by: ajdshootist | February 13, 2009 8:22 AM
We are doomed, I tell you. It is not as if the Tories will be much better.
Posted by: Jeff Wood | February 13, 2009 11:56 AM
One of the ban supporters' main argument seems to be that Wilders is already facing prosecution here in Holland. However he is not convicted and recent polls show a majority of the Dutch population, even his opposers, are against his prosecution. The prosecution is controversial as it was already ruled he shouldn't be prosecuted, but the State Attorney's office later picked it up again, stating that he should be prosecuted "because he incited hate". As such he is basically found guilty before the trial has even commenced. On top of that, even if he wins the case, his party will possibly be financially crippled (they do not recieve state subsidies), so if he wins he might still lose. Wilders is very carefull to stay within the limits of the law; his prosecution is very close to being a political one. I am very disspointed in Brittain blindly getting involved in this matter; from a UK political point of view a hands off approach would have been preferable.
Regarding the film: there isn't any anti Muslim phrase in it. It basically just shows images such as the lower one on this website, next to some more controversial Quran verses.
Posted by: Brazilski (from Holland) | February 13, 2009 5:07 PM
So ... when will these idiots figure out that banning and deporting members of a culture for barbarism is not bigotry if the culture in question really is barbaric?
Unfortunately, we have the same kind of morons here ... and they are just itching to trample the first amendment. Gotta save the dumb plebes from listening to haters like Rush, you know ...
Posted by: Kristopher | February 13, 2009 5:10 PM
Ah, yes...the politicians showing that they
really DO have some backbone...This way they
can show the Mullahs that they can stifle free
speech as well as any other Islamic country.
Or, in the finest Chamberlain tradition, they are insuring that we will Peace in our time...
Posted by: BushRat | February 14, 2009 12:15 AM
dodgy hair but a good man.
Posted by: thud | February 14, 2009 7:26 AM